Hidden storage for vehicles

ABSTRACT

A vehicle bed having hinged side panel sections which provides side access to the interior of the bed or to a storage system mounted adjacent the hinged side panel sections. The bed additionally is provided with hinged trim panels located below the hinged side panel sections. The vehicle bed may be provided with support structures of a yoke type or a collapsible beam type. The hinged side panel sections may be hinged by piano type or spring-loaded type hinges to open upwardly, downwardly or sideways, and may include a collapsible mechanism for moving a side panel section outwardly and upwardly. The hinged side panel sections are retained in a closed position by either an electrical or mechanical actuated lock/latch mechanism, which is preferably hidden from view, but which may include an exposed key slot or surface flush handle. The storage system includes a box having an opening adjacent the hinged side panel section and the box may include one or more drain/air relief valve assemblies, and be provided with compartments, shelves of a slideable, adjustable or pivotable type, and may include a collapsible support mechanism for a tray, compartment, shelf, etc. The hinged side panel sections may be retained open by means such as one or more strut assemblies or spring-loaded hinges.

RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. applicationSer. No. 08/896,392 filed Jul. 18, 1997, which is a continuation-in-partof U.S. application Ser. No. 08/685,678 filed Jul. 24, 1996, nowabandoned, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No.08/506,893 filed Jul. 26, 1995, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,567,000 issued Oct.22, 1996.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to storage systems for vehicles,particularly to hidden storage for vehicles having side panels, whilemaintaining the external appearance thereof, and more particularly todifferent hidden storage arrangements, including various hinged sidepanel and shelving configurations, without substantially altering theexternal appearance of the vehicle.

[0003] Various types of storage/utility systems have been utilized invarious types of vehicles, primarily pickups, trucks and trailers fortransporting and/or storing tools, materials, etc. These prior utilitybeds for pickup trucks are exemplified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,978,153,3,245,713, 3,727,971, 4,685,695 and 5,615,922, all of which have hingedsections exposed to view. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 1,990,757 teaches hinginga rear quarter panel to provide access to a compartment but does notteach how the panel is hinged. In addition, recently issued DesignPatent No. 385,224 teaches a utility bed for a pickup wherein the sidepanels have been widened to cover the wheel wells to provide storagespace and includes a compartment above the wheel well and compartmentsforward and aft of the wheel well, with each compartment having anexposed latch mechanism. Recently a hidden storage system has beendeveloped wherein the external appearance or contour of the vehicle hasnot been changed when compared to the same vehicle without a storagesystem therein, and the carrying capacity has not been significantlyreduced. This hidden storage system for pickup and truck beds andtrailers is described and claimed in above-referenced U.S. Pat. No.5,567,000. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 5,823,598, issued Oct. 20, 1998,describes and claims hidden storage systems for vans, utility and sportsutility vehicles as well as modifications of the hidden storagearrangement of U.S. Pat. No. 5,567,000. Fabrication of the hiddenstorage system may be carried out, for example, as described and claimedin U.S. Pat. No. 5,784,769 and 5,819,390.

[0004] The hidden storage system of U.S. Pat. No. 5,567,000, forexample, basically involved providing storage adjacent the wheel wellarea along part or the entire length of the bed, and providing, forexample, the fender/side panel of the bed with a hinge and lock/latcharrangement whereby the fender/side panel can be opened to expose thestorage area or closed and latched to conceal the storage area. In theclosed position, the external appearance is substantially the same as anidentical vehicle without the hidden storage capability. Thus, by use ofthe hidden storage system, the vehicle can be parked in areas wheretheft would likely occur from conventional storage systems.

[0005] Like pickups, trucks and trailers, there is small to no hiddenstorage in emergency vehicles, vans, utility vehicles and sports utilityvehicles. Any hidden storage in such vehicles is in the interior thereofand access to the interior provides access to the hidden storage areas.Thus, theft from such vehicles is carried out by merely obtaining accessto the interior thereof. To prevent potential theft, valuables must beremoved from the vehicle and/or expensive alarm systems must be added.Thus, there has been a need for safe, readily accessible hidden storagein emergency vehicles, vans and utility/sports vehicles.

[0006] This need for hidden storage for such vehicles has been resolvedby the hidden storage system of above referenced U.S. Pat. No. 5,823,598and copending application Ser. No. 09/082,281 filed May 20, 1998 byapplying the principles of that hidden storage system to emergencyvehicles, vans, utility vehicles and sports utility vehicles, whereinside panel sections of the vehicle are hinged and provided with storageareas which are accessible upon outward movement (upward, downward orsideways) of the hinged side panel sections. In addition to the interiorof the emergency vehicle, van utility and/or sports utility vehicles,which provide storage but the storage is readily accessible to theft,the hidden storage provides a “trunk” for such vehicles with minimumaltering of the external appearance of the side panels of the vehicle,and which is readily accessible to the owner but not readily accessibleto theft.

[0007] The hidden storage system of the present invention—expands thatof U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,567,000 and 5,823,598 by providing differentapproaches to hinging the side panels and various configurations of thestorage interior and shelving arrangements. The hidden storage system ofthis invention can be fabricated via a conversion method, a modularassembly method, or an assembly line method.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] It is the object of the invention to provide hidden storage forvehicles without noticeable alteration of the external appearance of thevehicles.

[0009] A further object of the invention is to provide various hingedside panels or fender/side panel section arrangements and variousstorage box shelving configurations.

[0010] A further object of the invention is to provide hidden storagefor vehicles utilizing hinged and latched sections of the side panels orfender/side panels of the vehicles.

[0011] Another object of the invention is to provide a vehicle withsafe, readily accessible hidden storage that is not accessible by mereaccess to the interior of the vehicle.

[0012] Another object of the invention is to provide a vehicle with ahidden storage area along at least one side of the vehicle, that isaccessible only by outward movement of at least one hinged section of aside panel or fender/side panel of the vehicle, without altering thenormal external appearance of the vehicle.

[0013] Another object of the invention is to provide hidden storage or avehicle bed which may, for example, extend along the entire length oralong a partial length of the vehicle bed, and which is accessible onlyvia one or more hinged and latched sections of the side panel orfender/side panel of the vehicle, with no or only minor modification ofthe external appearance of the vehicle.

[0014] Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following description and accompanying drawings.Basically, the invention involves providing hidden storage for vehicles,particularly for pickup truck beds or for trucks, vans, emergency,utility and sports utility vehicles having side panels, with only minoror no alteration of the normal external appearance of the vehicle bed.The minor alteration of the normal external appearance involves onlythin vertical and/or horizontal lines in the side panels or fender/sidepanels which define the edge or edges of the hinged side panel sections,the hinges for the side panel sections being hidden with a latch/lockarrangement being hidden and accessible from the interior of the bed orwithin a vehicle cab, for example, or by electrical control for a key orkeyless control in the vehicle whereby the lock of the latch/lockarrangement may be located anywhere on or in the vehicle. Due to thewidth of a normal vehicle side panel or fender/side panel, whichconsists of an outer and an inner panel, removal of the inner panel,hinging of the outer panel, and positioning of a narrow storage boxhaving its only opening adjacent the removed inner panel providesadequate storage space for long items such as snow or water skis, skipoles, surfboards, rifles, etc., as well as for storage of emergencytype supplies, etc., as well as for camping/sports equipment or formaterials or tools utilized in various trades. The narrow storage box,which may be as wide as the wheel wells of the vehicle, or narrower,results in only a small loss of interior space along the interior of oneor both sides of the vehicle. By way of example, using a conventionalvan having only a driver door on the left side of the van, the hiddenstorage could extend from adjacent the driver's door to the rear of thevan, the storage box being configured, for example, to conform to thefloor and any wheel well area of the van, or can be located above thewheel well, if desired. With the storage box welded or otherwise securedto the side of the van, the only access to the interior of the storagebox is via one or more hinged portions of the outer panel section of theside panel or fender/side panel, depending on the external configurationof the vehicle. By use of hidden hinges and hidden latch mechanismswhich are commercially available and capable of withstanding up to 1,500pounds pry pressure and controlled by conventionally available locksystems, the only changes in the exterior appearance of the side panelof the vehicle are the narrow lines along the vertical and/or horizontaledges of the hinged side panel section or sections. The hinged sidepanel sections are provided on the interior surfaces with sufficientsupport members and with insulation/sound absorbing materials. Theopening or openings in the side panels are provided with seals similarto car trunk lid seals, such that when the hinged side panel sectionsare closed, water/dust cannot enter the hidden storage area. Recently,anti-frost seals have been developed for vehicles operating in extremelycold climates, as exemplified by copending U.S. application Ser. No.09/082,436 filed May 20, 1998 entitled “Vehicle Compartment Seals”.

[0015] The hidden storage arrangement provided by this invention, whilespecifically directed to pickup truck beds, also enables numerous typesof vehicles to be built or modified to include one or more hiddenstorage compartments which are accessible only via one or more hingedside panel sections of the vehicle, and with the hinged side panel(s)closed, the storage compartments are not easily identified because of nomodification or only minor modification in the exterior surface of thevehicle and having no exposed lock/latch mechanisms, but if desired mayinclude an exposed key slot. The hidden storage can be incorporated intoa vehicle by conventional assembly line techniques, modular fabricationand assembly, or conversion or retrofitting an existing vehicle. Thepresent invention expands the hidden storage concept by providingvarious hinged panel or panel section arrangements and providing variousarrangements for shelving, compartments, etc. within the storage box.The shelving arrangements include sliding, pivoting and hinged shelves.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated into and form apart of the disclosure, illustrate embodiments of the invention and,together with the description, serve to explain the principles of theinvention.

[0017]FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a side view and plan view of a bed of ahidden storage system of a pickup truck generally similar to thatdescribed and illustrated in above-referenced U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,567,000and 5,823,598.

[0018]FIGS. 3 and 4 are views of a vehicle bed with hinged panelsections on each side for allowing side access to the bed, and astructural yoke assembly for the vehicle bed.

[0019]FIGS. 5 and 6 are perspective views of a hidden storage systemalso utilizing hinged trim panel sections to provide access to storagebins or pockets.

[0020]FIG. 7 is a side view of a vehicle bed with a hidden storage hingesystem in phantom.

[0021]FIG. 8 is an end view of an expanded width vehicle (bed sidepanel) with a hidden storage system incorporated therein.

[0022]FIG. 9 is an end view of a pickup bed having an expanded widthpanel section with a pantographic hinged section.

[0023]FIG. 10 is a side view of a pickup bed having three hinged sidepanel sections, with one section including the tail-light assembly.

[0024]FIGS. 11 and 12 illustrate mechanical and electrical lock/latchmechanisms for the hinged side panels of the vehicle bed.

[0025]FIG. 13 schematically illustrates a shelving/storage arrangementfor the storage box of the vehicles of FIGS. 1-2, 5-10 and 15-18.

[0026]FIG. 14 illustrates in cross-section an embodiment of a drain/airrelief valve assembly for the storage box of the hidden storage system.

[0027]FIG. 15 illustrates an adjustable and/or slideable shelvingarrangement for the storage box of the vehicle.

[0028]FIG. 16 is a top view of a pickup bed illustrating by phantomlines a collapsible beam support assembly located beneath the bed, andwhich can be used, for example, with dual rear wheels.

[0029]FIG. 17 is an exploded view of the pickup bed of FIG. 16illustrating openings in the side panels of the bed into which thecollapsible beams of the support assembly extend and in which a hiddenstorage system is mounted.

[0030]FIGS. 18 and 19 illustrate an embodiment of a hidden storagesystem utilizing a collapsible shelf support arrangement.

[0031]FIG. 20 is a side view of a pickup bed hidden storage systemincorporating sliding or a pivotable shelf or tray.

[0032]FIG. 21 is a side view of a pickup bed hidden storage systemwherein the hinged side panel includes the tail-light assembly andwherein covered bins are located forward and rearward of the wheel well.

[0033]FIGS. 22A and 22B schematically illustrate an embodiment of auniversal bed box wherein a single (FIG. 22A) or multiple (FIG. 22B)hinged door storage system may be installed on the bed box as saddle bagtype modular components.

[0034]FIGS. 23A and 23B illustrate a side panel of a dual wheel truckwith the storage system incorporated therein, with single or multiplehinged side panel sections shown in FIG. 23B.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0035] The present invention is directed to hidden storage for vehiclessuch as pickups, trucks, vans and emergency/utility/sports utilityvehicles, without substantially altering the external appearance of thevehicle, and is particularly concerned with hinged side panel sectionarrangements and with shelving arrangements for the storage system. Thehidden storage for vehicles as provided by the present inventionbasically involves providing the vehicle with one or more storage boxeswith openings located adjacent one or both side panels or fender/sidepanels of the vehicle, hinging at least one section of the one or bothside panels or fender/side panels, whereby the hinged section can beopened to expose the interior of the storage box, and providinglatch/lock mechanisms for the hinged side panel sections. The onlyalterations of the external appearance of the vehicle, with theexception of FIG. 10, are the narrow vertical and/or horizontal cutsdefining the edges of the hinged side panel section or sections, thehinges and latch mechanisms being hidden from an external view of thevehicle except for an optional key slot.

[0036] Pickups, trucks, vans, both passenger and commercial, as well asemergency vehicles, utility vehicles and sports utility vehicles, arewidely utilized in various fields of work, play and vacations. Pickups,utility vehicles, sports utility vehicles, and some emergency vehiclesare all classified as trucks in that they utilize a truck frame andundercarriage, either single or double rear wheels, and may range insize from ½ to 1½ ton and greater. Similarly, vans range from small tovery large, and generally have two or four doors with a single or splitdoor in the rear. A common problem, as pointed out above, with pickups,vans and emergency/utility/sports utility vehicles is a lack of hiddenstorage space (no trunks). Once access to the interior of such a vehicleis made, one also has access to any hidden storage areas therein.

[0037] In recent years, and in addition to pickup trucks, utilityvehicles, such as the Suburban made by General Motors Corporation,sports utility vehicles, such as the Bronco or Explorer made by FordMotor Company, and vans (both mini and full size) such as the Caravanmade by Chrysler Corporation, have been popular vehicles for both workand personal use. Also, emergency vehicles, both of the van type and thetruck type (cab and bed), regardless of size, have no hidden (trunktype) storage, and access to the interior thereof enables one to anymedical supplies or equipment, drugs, etc. which may need to be carriedin emergency vehicles. Hereafter the term vehicle is intended to includeall such vehicles, as well as trucks and trailers having side panels,and the term side panel includes all contoured or straight(non-contoured) sides of such vehicles with or without fender sections.Many of these vehicles are equipped with four wheel drive and thus arewidely used for camping, ski outings and emergency applications, withsome of the larger vehicles equipped with dual rear wheels. However, adrawback of these vehicles is a lack of storage space, particularly, forexample, when families of four to six people travel. As a result on skioutings, for example, the skis, ski poles, etc. are mounted on the topof the vehicle and are thus exposed to the environment and theft. If,for example, skis, etc. are to remain with the vehicle overnight, safetyad security requires that the skis, etc. be removed from the top of thevehicle and placed inside the vehicle. Many emergency type vehicles needto carry equipment which takes up considerable interior space, as wellas medical supplies, etc. which are accessible to theft. Mere breakageof a window in a vehicle, for example, enables access to the interiorthereof and theft of the skis, other equipment, etc. in the vehicle.

[0038] By incorporation of the hidden storage system in such vehicles,skis, ski poles, etc., or water skis, surfboards, boards, emergencyequipment supplies, etc., for example, may be safely stored in thevehicle, and thus one gaining access to the interior of the vehicle doesnot have access to the storage area. Access to the storage area is onlythrough a hinged/locked side panel section of the vehicle. Most vehiclesof the type considered herein have sufficient length between a side doorand the rear of the vehicle to enable incorporation of the hiddenstorage area without adversely affecting the interior space of thevehicle. Also, by the elimination of exposed lock/latch mechanisms, thestorage compartments are not readily recognized by those inclined towardtheft. While the addition of a key slot for the hinged side panelsections has been shown, such would reduce the hidden advantages of thestorage system and increase the potential for theft therefrom. Thus,while the hidden storage system of the above-referenced U.S. Pat. Nos.5,567,000 and 5,823,598 provide a “trunk-with-a-trunk” for a vehicle bedand for vans, utility/emergency vehicles, etc., the present inventionprovides improvements in the hidden storage system, particularly withrespect to the hinged side panel sections and the shelving arrangementfor the storage boxes. Note that as shown in FIG. 2, the side panelsinclude a fender section. The hidden storage also serves to providemeans to remove and store unrestrained articles from inside the vehicle,thereby improving passenger safety. The hidden storage may beincorporated above the wheel well or forward of, rearward of and abovethe wheel well, or combinations thereof.

[0039] The hidden storage system of the present invention may befabricated from various materials including metals, fiberglass,reinforced plastics and combinations thereof as these various materialsare now commonly utilized for various components in vehiclemanufacturing.

[0040] The hidden storage may be incorporated by various methods, suchas by an assembly line method or a conversion (retrofit) method similarto the techniques described and claimed in above-referenced U.S. Pat.Nos. 5,784,769 and 5,819,390. Also, the components for the hiddenstorage system may be fabricated and/or assembled using a modular methodsimilar to the technique described and claimed in copending U.S.application Ser. No. 08/896,388 filed Jul. 18, 1997 entitled “HiddenStorage/Utility System Modular Fabrication Method” and U.S. applicationSer. No. 09/183,851 filed Oct. 30, 1998 entitled “Modular Fabricationand Assembly Method For Vehicle Hidden Storage System”.

[0041] While the invention is illustrated and described hereinafter fora pickup bed, it can be incorporated into most vehicles of the typedescribed above, it being recognized that vehicles having two doors oneach side rather than a single door leaves less length between the reardoor and the rear of the vehicle, and thus less space for hiddenstorage. Also, vehicles designed for the carrying of passengers, whichinclude windows along the side, provide less space for incorporation ofthe hidden storage system than similar vehicles not designed forpassenger use, but the system can be installed in the passenger typevehicles.

[0042] In view of the extension of the hidden storage system ofabove-referenced U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,567,000 and 5,823,598 to vans andemergency/utility/sports utility vehicles, again referred to hereinaftergenerically as vehicles, FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate side and plan view ofthe hidden storage system incorporated into a bed of a pickup truck. Asseen in FIG. 1, from a side view, the only alteration to the normalexterior side panel appearance is the single vertical line or cut belowthe tail-light indicating the rear edge of the hinged side panel, thefront edge of the hinged side panel extending to the front of the bed.In other configurations, such as shown in FIGS. 10 and 21, thetail-light section is incorporated into the hinged side panel. The hingeor hinges for each side panel or side panel sections are located on aninner area of the side panel along the upper section, lower section orvertical section thereof so as not to be exposed to one viewing the bedfrom an external side position, and may be of a piano hinge type or aspring-loaded type such as seen in FIG. 21. Thus, one would not readilyrecognize the modification of the bed, and therefore those with intentto steal tools, etc. from the vehicle would not recognize the hiddenstorage arrangement.

[0043] Referring now to the drawings, FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate aconventionally appearing pickup truck generally indicated at 10 having acab 11, bed 12, frame or undercarriage 13 and includes hinged sidepanels 15, a tail-light arrangement 16, a hinged tail-gate 17 and wheelwells 18. However, the bed 12 of FIGS. 1 and 2 has been modified toincorporate a hidden storage system, with the only indication of suchmodification being the cut, small space, or lines 19 in the side panels15 below tail-light 16, as shown in FIG. 1, with the side panel beingclosed. Note that in this embodiment the hinged side panels 15 terminateadjacent sections of the trim panel sections secured to the frame orundercarriage 13 as indicated by the lines 20 and 21, and the frontedges of the hinged bed side panels are indicated at 22, where the sidepanels 15 contact a front panel or bulkhead 23 of the bed 12. Storageboxes 24 and 25 are located within the bed 12 and extend over, forwardof and rearward of the wheel wells 18, and may extend from bulkhead 23to tail-gate 17 or terminate at any desired length. The storage boxes 24and 25 are secured as by welding, structural adhesive bonding, etc., asknown in the art, to bed 12 along lines 26 and 26′ and to the sidepanels 15 along the lines 27 and 27′. Side panels 15 includes fendersections 28. If desired, the storage boxes may be located only forwardof or only rearward of the wheel wells, or be located above the wheelwells and extend horizontally forward and/or rearward from the wheelwells.

[0044]FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate an embodiment of a pickup truck bedhaving side opening doors which allows access to the bed through theside panels, and may be covered by a removable cover or a camper unit,and includes one or more structural yokes to strengthen the side panels.The side opening doors, which constitute sections of the side panel ofthe bed, are hinged vertically to enable them to open sideways when, forexample, a camper unit extends outwardly from the top of the bed.However, the side doors may be hinged horizontally, if desired, and ifhinged along a lower edge, may open downwardly to form a table orworkbench. If the side doors were hinged to open upwardly or downwardly,then a strut assembly or a foldable mechanism, such as used on a pickupbed tailgate, would be attached to the doors to maintain the doors inopen position.

[0045] The pickup bed of FIG. 3, generally indicated at 30, includes afloor, not shown, a front section of bulkhead 31, a tailgate 32 and apair of side panels 33 and 34 having wheel wells 35, only one shown. Thebed 30 may be provided with collapsible support beams under the floor,and may be constructed in modular form as shown in FIGS. 16 and 17.

[0046] To provide structural support, the bed 30 includes a pair ofyokes or U-shaped members, generally indicated at 36, see FIG. 4,located fore and aft of the wheel wells 35. The structural yokes 36 maybe similar to the structural posts utilized at the front and rearcorners of the bed to stop the spread of the bed, such as shown in FIG.17. In some applications, one yoke 36 may be adequate, and the yoke oryokes may or may not engage the top rail of the side panel.

[0047] The side panels 33 and 34 each include a pair of hinged sectionsdefining side opening doors 37 and 38 located fore and aft of wheelwells 35. In this embodiment, the doors 37 and 38 are hinged verticallyso as to open in a direction indicated by arrows 37′ and 38′. As in theembodiments of FIGS. 1-2 and 5, for example, the doors 37 and 38, whenclosed, provide a continuous contour of the design of the side panels 33and 34 with the exception of the cut-lines defining the edges of thedoors, and are preferably provided with hidden lock/latch mechanisms, asin FIGS. 1-2, whereby the doors do not detract from the appearance ofthe side panels.

[0048] As seen in FIG. 4, the structural yokes 36 include a horizontalsection 39 and vertical sections 39′, with the horizontal section 39extending under the floor of bed 30 and vertical sections being locatedwithin conventional inner and outer panels of the side panels 33 and 34.

[0049] In FIG. 3, the side panels 33 and 34 may be of conventional sidepanel construction having inner and outer panel sections whereby thedoors 37 and 38 include the inner and outer panel sections, or the innerpanel section of each of the doors 37 and 38 can be removed and theouter panel section reinforced, if needed. Also, the doors 37 and 38 onone or both sides may be hinged horizontally to enable the doors to openupwardly or downwardly.

[0050] If desired, the embodiment of the vehicle bed of FIG. 3 canincorporate a hidden storage system by providing a storage box with anopening therein adjacent the doors 37 and 38. Also, if desired, the sidepanels 33 and 34 may include a hinged or sliding section above the wheelwells 35, which can also open into a storage box located above the wheelwell section of the floor of the bed 30.

[0051]FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate an embodiment of a vehicle bed side panelassembly which may include a storage box, such as the side panels ofFIGS. 1-2, and additionally incorporate hinged trim panels which provideaccess to bins or pockets located fore and aft of the wheel wells. Asshown in FIG. 5, the vehicle side panel generally indicated at 40includes a wheel well section 41, a tail-light assembly 42, a hingedside panel section 43, and a pair of lower trim panels 44 and 45. Asseen in FIG. 6, the trim panels 44 and 45 are hinged along a lowersurface thereof to enable the panels to be opened, as indicated byarrows 46 and 47, and the side panel section 42 is hinged to enable itsopening, as indicated by arrow 48. A storage box behind side panel 40may include various shelving/compartment arrangements, such as shown inFIGS. 13, 15, 18-20 and 21. It is preferred that the side panel sectionterminates along a line 49 above the lower trim panels 44 and 45 wherebyany of components 43, 44 and 45 can be selectively opened, but thecomponents 43-45 can be constructed to overlap the upper edges of thetrim panels whereby the side panel section 43 must be opened first. Eachof the hinged components 43-45 is provided with a hidden lock/latchmechanism, such as described hereinafter with respect to FIGS. 11 and12, whereby when closed, there is no indication that these hingedcomponents can be opened. The side panels 40 of either FIGS. 5 or 6 maybe fabricated as part of a modular system such as illustrated in FIG.22A, wherein the side panels 40 constitute a module which is attached toa bed box and that module includes the storage box, wheel well, hingedside panel, or side panel with hinged sections therein, as describedhereinafter with respect to FIG. 22B.

[0052]FIG. 7 illustrates an embodiment of a vehicle bed generallyindicated at 50 having a bulkhead 51, a tail-gate 52, a tail-lightassembly 53, a side panel 54, lower trim panels 55 and 56, and a storagebox 57 located adjacent the side panel 54. The trim panels 55 and 56 maybe hinged as in FIG. 5-6 or without hinging, as in FIGS. 1-2. In thisembodiment, the side panel 54 is hinged by three spring-loaded hinges58, shown in phantom, whereby the need for strut assemblies to maintainthe side panel 54 open is eliminated. The storage box 57 may includevarious shelving/compartment arrangements, such as shown, for example,in FIGS. 13, 15, 18-20 and 21. Also, the side panels 54, trim panels 55and 56, and storage box 57 may be fabricated as a module and secured tothe bed floor and bulkhead 51. The side panels 54 may include the lowertrim panels 55 and 56, and thus the entire side of the bed may be raisedwhen opened.

[0053]FIG. 8 illustrates an expanded width vehicle bed side panelassembly which may include a storage box, the assembly being indicatedgenerally at 60 with the conventional side panel width indicated by thedash line 61. The side panel 60 is provided with one or more hingedsections, indicated at 62 in the raised position, provides additionalstorage space compared to a conventional side panel. It is understoodthat, as in the embodiments of FIGS. 1-2 and 10, for example, the innerpanel of the side panel is removed and only the outer panel is hinged.

[0054]FIG. 9 illustrates another expanded width vehicle bed side panelassembly, which may include a storage box, and is indicated generally at70, with the width of a conventional side panel indicated by dash line71. Side panel 70 includes a hinged section 72 via a mechanism 73 whichenables the hinged section 72 to move outwardly, as indicated by arrows74, and then upwardly, as indicated by arrow 75. Mechanism 73 iscomposed of a pair of members 76 pivotably secured to section 72 at 77and pivotably secured in a similar manner (not shown) to the side panel70, or to the storage box, and a pair of cross members 78 pivotablysecured to members 76 at 79. Other mechanisms which enable the hingedsection 72 of side panel 70 to be moved outwardly and upwardly, as shownin FIG. 9, may be utilized in place of the mechanism 73. The hingedsection 72 of side panel 70 may extend along a portion or the entirelength of the side panel, such as shown in FIGS. 1 and 21, or it may beutilized as one or more of the hinged side panel sections shown in FIG.10.

[0055] The embodiments of FIGS. 8 and 9, like those of FIGS. 5 and 6,may be constructed as modules and attached to a bed box as describedhereinafter with respect to FIG. 23.

[0056]FIG. 10 illustrates an embodiment of a pickup bed similar to FIGS.1 and 2, with a hidden storage system mounted in the side panelsthereof, but with three hinged side panel sections, and wherein thetail-light assembly moves with the rearmost hinged side panel section.The bed, indicated generally at 80, is mounted on a frame, not shown,connected to a cab 81, and includes wheel wells, only one shown, at 82.The storage system of FIG. 10, while not shown, includes a storage boxas in FIGS. 1-2 and a lock/latch mechanism, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12.The bed 80 includes side panels generally indicated at 83 on each side,only one shown, and each or either of which include three hingedsections 84, 85 and 86, with hinged section 84 extending from the frontedge of the side panel to an area above the wheel well 82, as indicatedby vertical panels generally indicated at 83 on each side, only oneshown, and each or either of which include three hinged sections 84, 85and 86, with hinged section 84 extending from the front edge of the sidepanel to an area above the wheel well 82, as indicated by vertical cutline 87, hinged section 85 being located above wheel well 82 and definedby cut line 87 and another vertical cut line 88, with hinged section 86extending from cut line 88 to the rear end of bed 80 and includingtail-light assembly 89. Each of hinged sections 84 and 86 may be hingedhorizontally or vertically so as to open upwardly, downwardly orsideways, and may terminate along lines 84′ and 85′ or extend to thebottom of trim panel sections 83′ and 83″. Hinged section 85 is hingedhorizontally and thus can be either raised or lowered. If section 85 ishinged at a lower end, it can be designed on the inner surface thereofto provide a work bench, and if hinged at the upper end, one or moreslideable compartments or shelves, as described hereinafter with respectto FIG. 15, may be mounted behind the hinged section 85 of the sidepanel, or if desired, can be hinged to open downwardly with slideableshelves or compartments located therebehind. Also, if desired, the threehinged side panel section arrangement of FIG. 10 can be modified asdescribed hereinafter with respect to FIGS. 13 and 18-21. While notshown, the storage box on each side of bed 80 may have a height equal tothe height of the side panels 83, or may have a height less than theheight of the side panels, as in the embodiment of FIGS. 1-2. Hingedsections 84, 85 and 86 may be optionally provided with a flush typehandle latch or handle 90 and key lock 91, but unexposed latch and lockmeans as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 are preferred.

[0057] While only one side of the bed 80 has been shown, it isunderstood that each side of the bed can be equipped as illustrated inFIG. 10, or that the hinged panel sections on one side of bed 80 can behinged vertically and the other side horizontally, or a mixture ofhinged sections, depending on the desire of the user. Also, the oppositeside of the bed may only be provided with one hinged panel or with nohinged panels.

[0058]FIGS. 11 and 12 schematically illustrate embodiments of amechanical type and an electrical type of latch/lock mechanism for ahidden storage system of a pickup bed, such as shown in FIGS. 1-2, 5-9,15, 17 and 20, but the latch/lock mechanism can be utilized in thehidden storage system of any vehicle bed, such as shown in FIGS. 3 and10. Since the latch/lock mechanism is not visible from an external viewof the vehicle, such is considered to be a hidden mechanism and is sodefined herein. In the embodiment of FIG. 11, the latch mechanism iscable actuated, but may be actuated by an electrical solenoid in placeof the mechanical actuator. As shown, a vehicle indicated at 120containing a hidden storage system generally indicated at 121 whichincludes a storage box as above described, and which includes at leastone hinged side panel 122 and provided with an end gate or rear door123, includes a lock release mechanism generally indicated at 124,having a keyed or keyless lock, not shown, and located at the rear ofthe storage system and spaced as indicated at 125 from the rear door123. By this arrangement, the lock release mechanism 124 can be actuatedfrom the inside of the vehicle without opening the end gate or door 123.The latch mechanism constructed of cooperating components are indicatedat 126-126′, 127-127′, 128-128′ and 129-129′, with components 126, 127,128 and 129 secured to the vehicle 120 or storage box within theenclosed area, while cooperating components 126′, 127′, 128′ and 129′are secured to the inner and lower edge of the hinged side panel 122such that when the side panel 122 is lowered, the components of thelatch mechanism interconnect. The components 126-129 each include amovable release mechanism 124 via a lever 132 of the lock mechanism 124.Thus, upon movement outwardly of lever 132, as indicated by arrow 133,the cable 131 activates the movable release member 130, where latchcomponents 126′-129′ are released from components 126-129, and thehinged side panel 122 can be raised as illustrated. To re-secure theside panel 122 when lowered, the lever 132 of lock release mechanism 124is moved inwardly, as indicated by arrow 134, whereby the activationcables 131 and release member 130 enable latch mechanism components126-129 and 126′-129′ to be reengaged for retaining the side panel 122in a secured closed condition. The mechanical lever arrangement 132 maybe replaced by a solenoid, which would actuate the control cables in thesame manner. Various types of mechanical lock/latch mechanisms arecommercially available and thus a detailed description of a specificembodiment is deemed unnecessary. However, the lock/latch mechanismshould be constructed to prevent the side panel 122 from being easilypried open. Some known lock/latch mechanisms require a 1500 pound pry toopen same.

[0059]FIG. 12 illustrates an electrically activated lock/latchmechanism, and is constructed similar to that of FIG. 11 except thatelectric solenoids and electric leads replace the activation cables ofFIG. 11, except that electric solenoids and electric leads replace theactivation cables of FIG. 11 and the lock release mechanism requiresonly a push button or key to actuate the latch mechanism via thesolenoids. Also, the lock mechanism may be remotely controlled, such asby well known vehicle security key/lock systems. As shown in FIG. 12,the lock release mechanism 124′ is located at the rear of the storagebox and spaced from the end gate or rear door 123, as indicated at 125.Cooperating latch mechanisms 126-126′, 127-127′, 128-128′ and 129-129′are mounted on bed 121 and side panel 122, as described above in FIG.11. Each of latch mechanism components 126, 127, 128 and 129 areprovided with a solenoid 136, 137, 13 and 139 which are connected tolock release mechanism 124′ via electrical leads 140, 141, 142, 143 and144. To release the latch mechanism to enable opening of the side panel122, the lock release mechanism 124′ is activated, such as by a pushbutton, key or combination, as known in the art, which activatessolenoids 136-139 thereby moving movable members 130 to allow latchcomponents 126′-129′ to be released from latch components 126-129,allowing side panel 122 to be opened. Since solenoid activatedlock/latch mechanisms are well known in the automotive art, furtherdescription is deemed unnecessary.

[0060] While FIGS. 11 and 12 illustrate embodiments of the lock/latchmechanism with the lock release mechanism 124′ located at the rear ofthe storage box, the lock release mechanism can be located at the frontof the storage box, or if an electrical lock/release system is used, asin FIG. 12, the lock release mechanism 124′ can be located in the glovebox, behind the driver's seat, or elsewhere in the vehicle. If desired,a key actuated lock release mechanism can be installed in a hinged sidepanel section, but such would be visible from an external view of thevehicle and therefore would not be desirable in that the hidden aspectof the storage system would be reduced.

[0061] While the FIGS. 11-12 embodiments have illustrated the use offour (4) latch mechanisms, that number may be less for a single hingedside panel. Where the hinged side panel is composed of side panelsections, as in FIGS. 3 and 10, each hinged section should include oneor more latch mechanisms, either mechanical or electrical. Also, wherethe side panel sections are hinged to open downwardly or sideways, thelocation of the cooperating latch mechanism components would bedifferent and, for example, such may be secured to the sides of thehinged side panel sections and to a cooperating location on the storagebox.

[0062] As pointed out above, the upwardly opening side panels areprovided with means for retaining same in open position, such as byconventional torsion springs or strut assemblies which are widely usedin the automotive field for retaining open rear windows or doors.However, hinges which include spring or mechanically biased means, forexample, are also commercially available which are constructed to retaina door or window open, and thus could be utilized in the hinged sidepanels, particularly those that are hinged to open downward or sideways.The use of strut assemblies or spring-loaded hinges are generallypreferred for upwardly opening side panels.

[0063] The hidden storage system is constructed such that a variety ofstorage shelves and/or storage compartments may be positioned in thestorage boxes on either side of the bed. The storage boxes are providedwith means by which shelves or compartments may be installed to fit auser's needs. The storage boxes may include areas of sufficient lengthand height for the storage of skis, ski poles, ski boots and skiclothing, or for the storage of golf club bags and associated equipmentor clothing as well as for various tools, parts, etc. Also, the storageboxes may be designed to include areas for the storage of shoppingpurchases whereby such are secured from view—a truck with a trunk.

[0064]FIG. 13 schematically illustrates a shelf/storage compartmentarrangement for tools, parts, etc. The shelves and storage compartmentsmay be mounted so as to be movable (slideable) or adjustable. As shownin FIG. 13, a storage box such as illustrated at 25 in FIG. 2, forexample, here generally indicated at 170, and which includes a wheelwell section 171, is provided with different size and/or length shelves172, 173, 174, 175, 176 and 177. The storage box 170 is provided withupwardly extending lips or members 178 and 179 which form open boxes orcompartments 180 and 181. However, the storage box 170 may beconstructed to provide a flat surface at the bottom by elimination ofthe upwardly extending members 178 and 179. the storage box 170 of FIG.13 additionally includes six compartments or drawers, indicated at 182,for small parts, etc. Compartments 180 and 181 are provided withopenings 183 in which are positioned drain/air relief valve assemblies184, described in detail hereinafter with respect to FIG. 14. It isunderstood that the shelf/storage compartment arrangement of FIG. 13 canbe incorporated into any of the vehicle beds of FIG. 1-10 and 17.

[0065]FIG. 14 illustrates an embodiment of a drain/air relief valveassembly indicated generally at 184 in FIG. 13 which is mounted in anopening 183 in compartments 180 and 181 of storage box 170. The valveassembly 184 is mounted in opening 183 of compartment 180, for example,by a tub or member 185 having an opening 186 and is secured in opening183 at the outer periphery thereof, and may be constructed of metal, acomposite or plastic, for example. Valve assembly 184 includes a housing187 or body members 188 and 189 secured together as by a threadedconnection, not shown, with lower body member 18 having a groove 190therein into which tub 185 extends, whereby the housing 187 is retainedin opening 186 of tub 185. The housing 187 may be constructed of EPDM orrubber, for example. Body members 188 and 189 are provided with alignedopenings 191 and 12, with a plug or member 193 having a pull grip 194extending into opening 192. Opening 191 in lower body member 188 isprovided a valve 195 having a flexible member 196, while upper bodymember 189 is provided with a plurality of radially extending openings197. Flexible member 196 may be constructed of rubber, for example. Uponraising the plug 193 via the pull grip 194, water and/or air withincompartment 180 of storage box 170 flows through radial openings 197 andmoves downwardly (opens) flexible member 196 of valve 195, asillustrated by flow arrows 198. With the plug 193 in place, as shown inFIG. 19, air or moisture will not pass upwardly due to seating offlexible member 196 of valve 195.

[0066] One of the side panels of a vehicle bed which may be used in anyof FIGS. 1-10 and 17, for example, is shown in detail in FIG. 15 whereina side panel 199 is illustrated in an open position and retained by agas lift or strut assembly 200 (only one shown). As seen in FIG. 15, theside panel assembly, which can be fabricated as a module, additionallyincludes a storage box 201 into which are slideably mounted shelves orbox shelves 202 and 203, which are supported by a common support member204 and include flange sections, not shown, which extend into slots inmember 24 and in a pair of end support members 205 (only one sown). Theadjacent or inner ends of slideable shelves 202 and 203 slide on members206 secured to the wheel well 207, while the outer or opposite ends ofshelves 202 and 203 slide on member 208 (only one sown) secured to endsof the storage box 201. The storage box 201 is additionally providedwith shelf supports 209 and 210 on which a shelf (not shown) can bemounted whereby the height thereof can be adjusted for various uses. Ifdesired, support members similar to member 205 can be located at 209 or210 to enable the uses of additional sliding shelves. Also, verticaladjustable shelf supports may be utilized. It is understood that theshelf arrangement of FIG. 15 can also be incorporated into the vehiclesof FIGS. 1-10 and 17.

[0067] The vehicle bed as illustrated in FIGS. 1-4 and 10, for example,may be provided with support/safety mechanisms, as illustrated in FIGS.16 and 17, which comprise a pair of collapsible beams. Upon impact froma side of the storage system, the beams collapse rather than bending,thereby preventing rupture or puncture of a fuel tank, typically locatedbeneath the bed of a pickup truck.

[0068] As seen in FIGS. 16 and 17, a vehicle 220, such as a pickup truckhaving frame members 221 and wheels mounted on an axle (not shown) isprovided with a bed 223 having side panel/fenders 224. A pair ofcollapsible support beams 225 are mounted across the frame members 221and extend outwardly so as to terminate inside the side panel/fenders224. As seen in FIG. 16, each of the collapsible support beams 225 iscomposed of a central section 226 and end sections 227 and 228 that areconstructed to extend into central section 226. Beams 225 may be square,rectangular, circular, etc. in configuration. The length of the centralsection 226 and the length of end sections 227 and 228 is determined bythe width of the bed 223. The end sections 227 and 228 may be spotwelded, for example, at a desired point to central section 226 and uponimpact, the spot weld is broken and the impacted end section collapsesinto the central section 226 which prevents the bed 223 from bendingdownward toward the fuel tank located beneath the bed.

[0069]FIG. 17 illustrates a modular assembly approach for the bed ofFIG. 16 utilizing the collapsible support members or beams. As shownschematically in FIG. 17, the bed generally indicated at 230 isbasically composed of five modules or assemblies comprising a floorassembly 231 to which collapsible support beams 232 are mounted orconnected, a bulkhead assembly 233, a tailgate assembly 234 and a pairof side panel assemblies 235 having connected thereto tail-lightassemblies 236 and 237 respectively. Side panel assemblies 235 areprovided with openings 238 into which collapsible support beams 232extend. Floor assembly 231 includes a pair of support posts 239 (onlyone shown) to which the rear of side panel assemblies 235 are secured.The side panel assemblies 235 may be constructed as illustrated in FIGS.1-2, 5-9 or 18-21, for example, or constructed to include a plurality ofhinged side panel sections as in FIG. 10, which may open upward,downward or sideways. If desired, an optical key entry or slot 235′ maybe incorporated into side panel assemblies 235 to release the sidepanel.

[0070]FIGS. 18 and 19 illustrate side panel assemblies which include aslideable/collapsible shelf support structure whereby a shelf, tray orwork surface may be stored within a storage box of a hidden storagesystem, and when the hinged side panel is raised, the support structuremay be pulled outwardly and upwardly to establish support for a shelf,tray, work surface, etc. As shown, a vehicle bed side panel 250 having ahinged section 251 is provided with a collapsible support structure,generally indicated at 252, and includes at least two sets of members253 and 254 (only one set shown) constructed to enable member 254 toslide within member 253, with member 253 being secured to a storage boxof the vehicle side panel 250, which may be constructed as shown inFIGS. 1-2, 5-10 and 17, for example. Pivotably mounted to slideablemembers 254 are two pairs of connector members 255 and 256 (only one ofeach shown), as by pins 257 and 258, with connector members 255 and 256being pivotably mounted to a pair of support members 259 (only oneshown) as by pins 260 and 261. A shelf, tray or work surface (not shown)is adapted to be positioned on support members 259 and can be fixedthereto or be of a removable type.

[0071] As shown in FIGS. 18 and 19, the slideable member 254 may bemoved with respect to fixed member 253, as indicated by arrow 262, andconnector members 255 and 256 pivoted as indicated by arrows 263 and 264whereby the support member 259 of support structure 252 can bepositioned in its ready position, as shown in FIG. 18, or its collapsedposition, as shown in FIG. 19, wherein the hinged side panel section 251is closed over the support structure 252.

[0072]FIG. 20 illustrates an embodiment of a side panel assembly havinga pivotable shelf mounted with a hidden storage system of a vehicle bedside panel, and may be utilized in any of the illustrated side panelembodiments. As shown, the vehicle bed side panel, indicated at 270,includes a storage box 271 and a hinged side panel 272 which, in thisembodiment, has a tail-light assembly 273 mounted to the hinged sidepanel 272. The side panel 270 also includes trim panel sections 274 and275 fore and aft of wheel well 276, behind which are located storagebins 277 and 278, described in greater detail with respect to FIG. 21.Over the wheel well 276 is positioned a tray, shelf or work surface 279pivoted as indicated by arrow 280 about a point or pin 281 along a slidesupport 282. Various types of slide supports 281 may be utilized tomaintain support of the shelf 17 when in the position shown by phantomlines.

[0073]FIG. 21 illustrates a side view of a side panel assembly having ahidden storage system mounted on one or both sides of a vehicle, such asa pickup bed illustrated in FIGS. 1-9 and 17. If mounted in the sidepanel of a pickup, for example, the pickup bed may be constructed as amodular assembly, such as illustrated in FIGS. 17 or 23, with or withoutthe collapsible support members of FIGS. 16-17. The side panel of FIG.21, indicated generally at 290, includes a wheel well 291 and atail-light assembly 292 which is secured to a hinged side panel section293. The hinged side panel section 293 includes a cut away section 294that corresponds to and cooperates with the wheel well 291. The sidepanel 290 includes a storage box 295 which extends over and fore and aftof wheel well 291, and with the fore and aft sections of unhingedsections 296 and 297 defining bins 298 and 299 having hinged lids 300and 301. The remainder of the storage box provides a space above thebins 298 and 299 and above the wheel well 291 in which shelves orcompartments may be installed, such as illustrated in FIG. 13. As shownin FIG. 21, a sliding shelf 302 is mounted above the wheel well 291, andwhich may serve as a work top, and a shelf 303 extends along the lengthof the storage box 295, and which may be of an adjustable type. Thehinged side panel section 293 is retained open by spring-loaded typehinge assemblies indicated at 304 and 305, but strut assemblies, such asillustrated in FIG. 15, may be utilized with one or more horizontallyextending hinges along an upper edge of the side panel section 293.While not shown, each of the bins 298 and 299 may be provided with adrain/air relief valve assembly, as illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14.Also, a seal assembly (not shown) would be located adjacent theperiphery of the hinged side panel section 293 when closed, and may beof a heated type, such as described and claimed in copending U.S.application Ser. No. 09/082,436 filed May 20, 1998 entitled “VehicleCompartment Seals”. If desired, an optional key entry indicated at 306may be installed to release side panel section 293. As shown, the hingedside panel section 293 extends from the forward lip or end of the sidepanel 290 to the rear end of the bed and includes the tail-light section292, which is electrically connected by an electrical harness (notshown) which allows the tail-light section 292 to be raised with theside panel 290.

[0074] The embodiments of FIGS. 18, 19, 20 and 21 may be fabricated asmodules and mounted to the bed of a vehicle as shown in either FIG. 17or in FIG. 23 described hereinafter. Modular fabrication and assembly isgenerally more economical than assembly line production or vehicle bedconversion methods.

[0075]FIGS. 22A and 22B illustrate an embodiment of a hidden storagesystem which utilizes a universal or standard vehicle bed box to whichmodules containing the storage system are attached, thus a saddle bagtype modular assembly. Each of FIGS. 22A and 22B show the storage systemin the mounted position and in an exploded position. The differencebetween FIGS. 22A and 22B lies only in FIG. 22B having a plurality ofhinged side panels, similar to that of FIG. 10. It is understood thatFIGS. 22A and 22B have storage systems on each side of the bed box andeach side may have a single or a multiple hinged side panel arrangement,or that one side may be a single hinged storage system and the otherside be a multiple hinged storage system. As shown, the vehicle bed box,generally indicated at 310, is constructed to fit any size or modelvehicle and includes a floor section 311, a bulkhead section 312, atail-gate section 313, and a pair of thin side sections 314 and 315which may be supported, for example, by U-shaped members, as shown inFIGS. 3 and 4. A pair of storage assemblies 316 and 317, each includinga wheel well section 318 and a horizontally hinged side panel section319, are mounted to the side sections 314 and 315. While not shown, theside panel section includes a tail-light section, as in the FIG. 21embodiment.

[0076]FIG. 22B differs from FIG. 22A only in that the side panel section317′ includes three hinged sections 320, 321 and 322, and correspondingreference numerals are given. Hinged sections 320 and 322 may be hingedhorizontally to move in an outward direction, either upwardly ordownwardly, as in FIG. 10, or hinged vertically to move in a sidewaysdirection, as in FIG. 3. The center hinged section 321 may be hinged toswing upwardly or downwardly. It is understood that each of the hingedside panels or side panel sections are provided with appropriate hinges,lock/latch mechanisms, and with strut assemblies for maintaining same inan open position, where needed. Also, the assemblies 316′ and 317′ maybe composed of three modules each which include hinged sections 320, 321and 322, as indicated by dotted lines 323 and 324.

[0077]FIGS. 23A and 23B illustrate a storage system for a dual wheeltruck arrangement, utilizing a universal or standard vehicle bed box, asin the FIGS. 22A-22B embodiments, and with a saddle bag type modularstorage assembly attached to the bed box. The primary difference betweenthe embodiment of FIGS. 23A-23B and FIGS. 22A-22B is the width of thestorage system and the fender arrangement for a dual wheel vehicle, suchas a 1 ton or greater truck. As shown in FIG. 23A, the embodimentcomprises a vehicle bed box constructed to fit, for example, anymanufacturer's vehicles having dual rear wheels, is generally indicatedat 330 and includes a floor section 331, a bulkhead section 332, atail-gate section 333, and side sections 334 and 335. A pair of storageassemblies, generally indicated at 336 and 337, are mounted to sidesections 334 and 335 of bed box 330. As described above with respect toFIGS. 22A-22B, the side section may be supported as needed. Each ofstorage assemblies 236 and 337 include a storage box 338, a wheel wellsection 339, a fender section 340, and a hinged side panel section 341,which may or may not include the fender section 340. The fender section340 may be of an elongated configuration of a tapering or curvedlongitudinal and vertical configuration which extends along asubstantial length of the side panel of the bed, as indicated by dottedline 345. In this embodiment, a tail-light assembly, not shown, ismounted in either storage box 338 or connected to hinged side panelsection 341, as in the previously described embodiments. The hinged sidepanel sections 341 may be hinged horizontally, for example, bypiano-type hinges or spring-type hinges, and provided with lock/latchmechanisms and strut assemblies, as previously described. The storagecan extend into the housing or fender section 340 over the dual wheels.

[0078] The FIG. 23B embodiment differs from FIG. 23A only in theconstruction of the side panels of the storage assemblies 336 and 337,and corresponding reference numerals are provided for correspondingcomponents. The storage assembly 337′ of FIG. 23B includes three sidepanel sections 342, 343 and 344. Side panel section 343 may include thewheel well section 339′ and fender section 340′, or it may be cut alongthe line 345 located above the fender section 340′. Side panel section343 may be horizontally hinged to open upwardly or downwardly. Also, thecenter side panel section 343 may be connected to a slidable boxassembly located within storage box 338′. The side panel sections 342and 344 each may be hinged horizontally or vertically to open eitherupwardly or downwardly, or open sideways in either direction. The sidepanel 336′ may be constructed as side panel section 337′, as describedabove, or provided with a single hinged side panel section, as in FIG.23A.

[0079] It has thus been shown that the present invention provides ahidden storage arrangement for vehicles, as well as side access to theinterior of a vehicle bed that can be initially built into the vehicle,such as a pickup truck bed, or a conventional bed can be converted toinclude the storage and/or the side access arrangements, withoutsubstantially altering the external appearance of the vehicle or thebed, compared to a vehicle or bed without the storage or side accessarrangements. Thus, a pickup truck bed, van, emergency or sports utilityvehicles can now be provided with a trunk which can be latched andlocked and is only accessible via one or more hinged side panelsections, which can be hinged to open upwardly, downwardly or sideways.While the invention has been described with respect to a pickup bed, itcan be used in other types of vehicles, as described in above-referencedU.S. Pat. No. 5,823,598, as well as being used in full-sized truck bedsand trailers having side panels, without detracting from the normalappearance of the side panels except in some instances where verticaland/or horizontal cuts are needed. While the hinged side panel or sidepanel section(s) generally extend to the lower trim panel sections foreand aft of the wheel wells, the hinged panel or section may include oneor both of the trim panel sections, and may or may not include thefender section of the bed, depending on the configuration of the fendersections. Also, as shown, the hinged side panel or panel section mayinclude the tail-light assembly. The entire side of the bed may behinged including the trim panel sections.

[0080] While specific embodiments of hinged side panels or side panelsections, along with various types of hinge arrangements in addition toshelving, bins, adjustable or pivotable shelves and support structuretherefor have been illustrated and described to exemplify and teach theprinciples of the invention, such are not intended to be limiting. Forcertain applications, only one storage box may be desired, or thestorage box may be formed in sections or located entirely above thewheel well. The exact configuration of the storage or side accessarrangements will depend on the desired use and different fender/sidepanel/frame/undercarriage arrangements of the vehicle involved.

[0081] While not shown, the hinged panel sections may be structurallyreinforced and coated on the inner surfaces thereof with insulatingand/or sound absorbing materials conventionally used in the automotivefield. If desired, the interior of the storage boxes may be coated withsimilar materials While not shown, the edges of the side panels adjacentthe hinged panel sections may be provided with seals, similar to theseals utilized for automotive trunks, to prevent moisture or dust fromentering the storage boxes when the hinged panel sections are closed.Since the lock and/or latch mechanism for the hinged side panel sectionsare not visible from an external view of the vehicle, they constitute ahidden latch mechanism. However, if desired, the lock, such as a keyactuated mechanism, may be installed in a side panel section and thuswould not be hidden from view. If desired, the lock/latch mechanisms maybe of a spring-loaded type whereby upon release of the latch, the hingedside panel section opens slightly. Also, the lock/latch mechanisms maybe of the pull-type which draws the hinged side panel section into alocking position. Such latching mechanisms are known in the art.

[0082] Modifications and changes may become apparent to those skilled inthe art, and it is intended that the invention be limited only by thescope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. In a vehicle bed having a floor, a bulkhead, atail-gate and side panels, the improvement comprising: at least one ofsaid side panels having at least one hinged section therein, andlock/latch means for said at least one hinged section, said hingedsection being constructed and hinged such that there is substantially nochange in an external appearance of the at least one side panel comparedto an identical side panel without said hinged section.
 2. Theimprovement of claim 2 , wherein said lock/latch means is hidden from anexternal view of the vehicle bed.
 3. The vehicle bed of claim 1 ,wherein said side panels each include an inner panel and outer panel,and wherein said at least one hinged section includes both the inner andouter panels.
 4. The vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the inner panel isremoved at least in the area of the hinged section, and the outer panelis hinged.
 5. The vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the hinged section isvertically hinged.
 6. The vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the hingedsection is hinged to enable upward, downward or sideways movementthereof.
 7. The vehicle bed of claim 1 , additionally includingstructural support means which at least extend beneath said floor. 8.The vehicle bed of claim 7 , wherein said structural support means iscomposed of a plurality of collapsible support members.
 9. The vehiclebed of claim 7 , wherein said structural support means comprises aplurality of U-shaped members having sections thereof secured to saidside panels.
 10. The vehicle bed of claim 9 , wherein said sections ofsaid U-shaped members are secured intermediate inner and outer panels ofsaid side panels.
 11. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein each of saidside panels is provided with a plurality of hinged sections.
 12. Thevehicle bed of claim 11 , wherein at least one of said plurality ofhinged sections is hinged vertically.
 13. The vehicle bed of claim 1 ,wherein said side panel is provided with trim panels fore and aft ofwheel wells therein, and wherein at least one of said trim panels ishinged to provide a storage bin, and is provided with lock/latch meanstherefor.
 14. The vehicle bed of claim 13 , wherein each of said trimpanels of at least one of said side panels is hinged and provided withlock/latch means.
 15. The vehicle bed of claim 1 , wherein said at lastone hinged section is hinged by at least one spring-loaded hingemechanism.
 16. The vehicle bed of claim 1 , wherein said at least onehinged section is hinged by a collapsible mechanism constructed to allowsaid hinged section to be moved outwardly and upwardly with respect tosaid side panel.
 17. The vehicle bed of claim 1 , wherein saidlock/latch means includes at least an exposed key slot in said hingedsection.
 18. The vehicle bed of claim 1 , additionally including astorage system located in said bed and adjacent at least said hingedsection of at least said one side panel, said storage system including abox having an opening therein located at least adjacent said hingedsection.
 19. The vehicle bed of claim 18 , wherein said box is providedwith at least one drain/air valve assembly in a bottom section thereof.20. The vehicle bed of claim 18 , wherein said box is provided withshelving therein selected from the group of fixed shelves, adjustableshelves, slideable shelves, and pivotable shelves.
 21. The vehicle bedof claim 18 , wherein said box is provided with at least one shelf andat least one compartment.
 22. The vehicle bed of claim 18 , wherein saidbox is provided with a movable/collapsible support means for a shelf,tray or compartment.
 23. In a vehicle bed having a floor, a bulkhead, atail-gate, and side panel assemblies, the improvement comprising: saidside panel assemblies comprising modules mounted to said vehicle bed,and at least one of said side panel assemblies, including a storage boxhaving an opening therein, a wheel well, and a contoured panel coveringsaid opening of said storage box and having at least one hinged sectiontherein which when moved outwardly uncovers at least a portion of saidopening in said storage box.
 24. The improvement of claim 23 , whereinsaid at least one hinged section of said contoured side panel isselected from the group consisting of a hinged section which extends theentire length of said contoured side panel, a hinged section whichextends only a portion of the entire length of said contoured sidepanel, a hinged section which includes a tail-light section of saidvehicle bed, a hinged section which is hinged horizontally and can openeither upwardly or downwardly, and a hinged section which is hingedvertically and can open sideways.
 26. The improvement of claim 25 ,additionally including a slideable assembly mounted in said contouredside panel, an exterior of said slideable assembly conforming to anexterior of said contoured side panel.